Conditionals Sentences
cases
If (Ka)
Sentences containing the word if are called conditional sentences because they usually express a condition.
English | Dholuo |
If he comes, ask him to wait. | Ka obiro, kone ni orit. |
If it rains, we will get wet | Ka koth ochwe, wabiro bedo mang'ich. |
If you study hard, you will pass your exam | ka isomo matek, obiro kadho penjni. |
There are four types of “if" sentences in English.
The zero conditional
In a zero conditional sentence, we use a present tense in both parts of the sentence.
English | Dholuo |
If you give respect, you get respect | Ka ichiwo lwor, In bende iyuodo lwor. |
If you heat ice, it melts | Ka ichwako pe, to oleny |
The type zero conditional sentences are used to talk about real and possible situations.
Type 1 conditional
Type 1 conditional sentences are used to discuss potential situations and their likely outcomes. Within these sentences, the simple present is utilized in the "if" clause, while the simple future is employed in the result clause.
English | Dholuo |
If you work hard, you will succeed | Ka itiyo matek, ibiro lony |
If you ask him, he will help you | Ka ipenje, tobiro konyi. |
If you invite them, they will come | Ka ilwongo gi, togibiro biro. |
Type 2 conditional
These sentences are utilized to discuss an improbable condition and its likely outcome. In this context, the tense in the "if" clause is the simple past, while the tense in the main clause is the present conditional.(would + get).
English | Dholuo |
If you asked him, he would help you | Ka ipenje en tobiro konyi. |
If you studied hard, you would pass your exam | Ka isomo matek, ibiro kadho penj. |
If you invited them, they would come | Ka ilwongo gi, do gibiro biro. |
Type 3 conditional
In a Type 3 conditional sentence, the "if" clause employs the past perfect tense, and the main clause employs the perfect conditional (would have + infinitive) tense structure.
English | Dholuo |
If you had invited them, they would have come | Ka dine ilwongo gi, to degibiro. |
If you had asked him, he would have helped you | ka dine ipenje, todine okonyi. |
The term "because" connects sentences that carry multiple meanings. In Dholuo, the translation of the word "because" is nikech
Because in the middle of sentence
English | Dholuo |
He missed work because he was sick. | Me ok otiyo nikech ne otuo. |
she has no car license because it is expensive. | En ne oonge gi kalatas mar gari nikech otek. |
They make medicine because they study it. | Gi loso yath nikech gi some. |
Because at the beginning of sentences.
English | Dholuo |
because she is faster, she plays soccer. | Nikech orikni, e gimomiyo otugo adhula. |
because he is a good person, he has many friends | Nikech en ng'ama ber, emomiyo en gi osiepe mang'eny. |
kata is translated as although/even if in English.
English | Dholuo |
---|---|
Although she is late, she brought the good news. | Kata ka olewo, okelo wach maber. |
Even if he is not educated, he/she is smart. | Kata bedni ok osomo, en oriek. |
Although he/she is rude, he/she is a good teacher. | Kata obedo ni wiye tek, en japuonj maber |
Even if she is from different tribe, she is married to Jaluo. | Kata ka en ja dhoot moro, okende gi Jaluo |
Kata is translated as whether in English.
Dholuo | English |
---|---|
Kata obiro biro . | whether he/she will come. |
kata obiro dhi. | whether he/she will go. |
kata obiro kadho. | whether he/she will pass. |
kata obiro here. | whether he/she will love. |
To is translated as while/whereas in English.
Dholuo | English |
---|---|
otiyo to otuo | he/she worked while/whereas she/he is sick |
owuotho to otuo. | he/she is walking whereas he is sick |
Omadho kong'o to oriembo | he/she drinking while he/she is driving |
Oringo to ong'ol. | he/she runs whereas he/she is crippled |
Wish is known as Dine in Dholuo. We say dine ..
English | Dholuo |
---|---|
I wish he was early | Dine omondo |
I wish she cooked good food | Makata dine otedo chiemo maber |
I wish he played football | Makata dine otug adhula |
I wish they came to the meeting | Makata dine gibiro e bura |
Hope is translated to Dholuo as Geno.
English | Dholuo |
---|---|
I hope he is well. | Ageno ni en tiere maber. |
I hope she finished on time. | Ageno ni otieko e wang' saa. |
I hope they sleep well with the cold. | Ageno ni gi ginindo maber hi koyo ni. |
I hope it was a good music. | Ageno ni thum ne ber . |
I hope he sleep well after operation. | Ageno ni onindo maber gi yang'o. |
Bende ok is translated as neither
bende ok at the beginning of a sentence.
Dholuo | English |
---|---|
Bende ok oyiee. | Neither has he/she agreed. |
Bende ok odagi. | Neither has he/she refused. |
Bende ok ohere | Neither does he/she loves. |
Bende ok onene. | Neither has he/she seen it. |
"Gi" in the middle of a sentence.
Dholuo | English |
---|---|
Kata gi tem, ok gibinyalo. | Even if they try they cannot do it. |
Kata otim mos mos, ok obitimo. | Even if she/she does it slowly, she/he will do it. |
Ibiro piyo kata ka ne okitemo. | You have come quickly even though you did not try. |
Ne ok gibiro, kata in ne ok iluongogi. | They did not come neither did you called them. |